I'll Love You Forever
by HardcoreEvilRegal
Summary: Just a small little story where Regina reads I'll Love You Forever to their 3 year old.


**Fandom**: Once Upon A Time

**Pairings**: Mentioning of established Swan Queen. With appearances by their toddler and older Henry.

**Rating**: G

**Summary**: Just a small little story where Regina reads _I'll Love You Forever _to their 3 year old.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own these characters, nor do I own anything from the show. I just have crazy ideas. So shoot me if I wanna write them down! I also do not own the book in which Regina is reading from.

**Side Note**: This idea just sorta popped into my head and wouldn't leave me alone. Just a little short story of an established Swan Queen family. This may sprout out to other little family stories. We shall see.

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The clock in town chimed away as seven o'clock hit, bell chiming and being heard in every household. In one particular household, Regina Mills sat with her three year old daughter tucked in her lap, holding a book she'd been reading to her since the day she'd been born. Isabelle was the spitting image of her mother, save the few features of Emma's making themselves known in her chin and nose. The little girl nuzzled against Regina's chest, staring down at the book Regina was holding. She sniffled here and there, touching at the bandage on her knee now and then. Running around the house, like she wasn't supposed to, Isabella had fallen and scraped her knee. Regina was quick to bandage up the scrape, soothing the little girl as she slowly calmed her down.

Isabelle was indeed like her mother, strong willed and stubborn. Although she could have inherited such traits from Emma as well. But that was an argument for another day. For now, while waiting for Emma to come home, Regina sat with her baby girl reading _I'll Love You Forever_. Isabelle had picked it out herself, claiming it was her favorite. Leaning back against the headboard, Regina smoothed Isabelle's hair back with her left hand as she held the book in the other. She smiled down at her daughter, still amazed that she had somehow gotten her happy ending. While she still had moments where she thought it would all be snatched up for under her, she clung to the little moments like this that kept her grounded.

This moment in particular was one she knew she'd remember forever. Regina opened the book, turning to the first page. She smiled down at Isabelle, still smoothing her hand over her hair. "Ready?" She asked, Isabelle gazing up at her with her own little smile. "Ready, Mamma! Ready!" Isabelle cooed with enthusiasm. Regina chuckled and nodded, turning her head back to the book. With her tone smooth and quiet, Regina began to read. "A mother held her new baby and very slowly rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she held him, she sang: I'll love your forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." Regina actually sang the words, smiling wide as Isabelle tried to sing along with her. She'd only get in a few syllables of the words and then stop before trying again.

Regina paused for a moment to lean down and kiss her daughter head, dark curls rubbing against her nose. Isabelle giggled, cuddling into her mother just a little more. "More, Mamma! More, more!" Isabelle chanted, jumping up and down in Regina's lap. Regina smiled wide, nodding again. "Okay, baby." She whispered, wrapping her arm around Isabelle. "The baby grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was two years old, and he ran all around the house. He pulled all the books off the shelves. He pulled all the food out of the refrigerator and he took his mother's watch and flushed it down the toilet. Sometimes his mother would say, 'this kid is driving me CRAZY!'" Regina raised her voice a bit and lowered it, sounding a bit funny. She poked at Isabelle's side, making the little girl giggle and squirm.

" But at night time, when that two-year-old was quiet, she opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor, looked up over the side of his bed; and if he was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang: I'll love your forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." Regina brought Isabelle closer into her, continuing the story. The little girls eyes began to slowly droop, her little body going limp as she fell asleep in her mothers lap. Regina continued to read the story though, voice dropping into a whisper as she came towards the end of the book.

She came to a particular part of the book that brought tears to her eyes, immediately thinking of Henry and how things had gotten bad there for a while. Things were better now, but this particular part of the story had her barely holding back tears. "But she couldn't finish because she was too old and sick. The son went to his mother. He picked her up and rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And he sang this song…" Just as Regina was about to sing the next words, Henry piped in, startling her a bit. "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my Mommy you'll be." Tears fell from Regina's eyes as her seventeen year old son tip toed into her room.

Slowly he slipped onto the bed with Regina, lightly running his thumb over Isabelle's cheek. He turned his head towards the book, remembering when his mother used to read it to him. It seemed like a million years ago, another time. Together they read the end, their voices in perfect sink. "When the son came home that night, he stood for a long time at the top of the stairs. Then he went into the room where his very new baby daughter was sleeping. He picked her up in his arms and very slowly rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while he rocked her he sang: I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." One last tear fell from Regina's eyes as she dropped the book and placed an arm around Henry. Henry smiled, leaning into his mother. "Love ya, mom." He said, trying not to get too sentimental. Regina smiled, placing a kiss on his forehead. "I love you too, Henry. For as long as I'm living."

It was less than half an hour later when Emma finally returned home. It had been a long work day, running down kids who'd egged a poor woman's house. She was exhausted and just wanted to climb into bed and sleep. "I'm home!" She called out, kicking off her boots and climbing up the stairs slowly. When no one answered, Emma panicked a little, racing up the stairs and towards the bedroom she shared with her wife. She flung the door open, only to stop mid swing. Emma took in the sight before her, a smile creeping onto her face. On their bed, Regina lay with both of their children. Henry had his head slung back over Regina shoulder, arms and legs sprawled out in comfort. Isabelle was tucked neatly into Regina's side, little fingers twitching every now and then.

Regina had her eyes closed, but there was a smile on her face as she leaned her head against the headboard. When Emma finally looked at Regina's face, brown eyes met grin and both their smiles widened considerably. "Welcome home." Regina whispered, looking down at her two children. Emma chuckled. "And here I was thinking I'd get to sleep in my own bed tonight." Regina lightly chuckled, but shrugged her shoulders. "Seems you just get the edge of the bed tonight." Emma rolled her eyes, but took the time to appreciate the scene before her. Neither Emma nor Regina would have ever imagined this, never would have thought they'd be so lucky to be together and have such a beautiful family. They knew, for sure, that they were blessed.


End file.
